Inaugural Blasphemous Brewfest, February 6-7

I can't say that I've ever been to a psychedelic and stoner music festival. I may finally get my long-awaited chance this weekend at Sabertooth "Psychedelicstonerrockmicrofest" at McMenamins' Crystal Ballroom. As appealing as this mind altering experience may sound, I'm far more intrigued by the Blasphemous Brewfest that will occur as part of the event. Here are some details about the beer portion of the event. Blasphemous is a curated tasting experience comprised of unique products from seven innovative fermentation houses, showcasing their wild and weird small batch beer styles custom made for the festival by McMenamins and other local breweries.Blasphemous offers patrons a unique, immersive, five-sense experience that complements the similarly unique, and blasphemous offerings. As these products are extremely small batch and rare, offerings will rotate based on availability. This unpredictability is our way of introducing a bit of chaos to the typical “brew fest” formula. Also, in keeping with this idea, we will strive to eliminate the inertia of line-waiting as well, and add a bit of stylized atmosphere for good measure.Beers are available for purchase in Lola’s Room on Saturday and Sunday for ages 21 and over starting at 5 p.m. Sabertooth ticket holders can bring beers directly from the brew fest up to the Crystal Ballroom to watch music.

There's nothing ordinary about any of these beers. They all sound amazing!

Entry to the Blasphemous Brewfest is included with a Sabertooth Micro Fest ticket. Beers are $2.50/4 oz. sample. All beers (except Ale Apothecary and Cascade Brewing) are available in pint and half pint pours with variable pricing. For more details, check out the press release below.

WHAT:McMenamins presents the second annual Sabertooth MicroFest, a psychedelic and stoner music packed weekend, taking place Feb. 5-7, 2016 in downtown Portland. Drawing on the counterculture history of the Crystal Ballroom, Sabertooth celebrates the mind-altering experiences that started in mid-'60s folk, rock and blues. From the Peace Rites of Allen Ginsburg and historic performances by the Grateful Dead through the Flaming Lips Boom Box Experiment, the Crystal has always been the place to experience psychedelic music in all its forms. The bands featured this year, including Super Furry Animals, Red Fang and Built to Spill, represent a wide range of psychedelic music styles and interpretations of the art form.

In addition to a full music line-up, MicroFest goers and craft brew aficionados can enjoy the Blasphemous Brew Fest – a showcase of seven wild and weird small batch beer styles custom made for the MicroFest by McMenamins and other local breweries. Beers are available for purchase in Lola’s Room on Saturday and Sunday for ages 21 and over. Sabertooth ticket holders can bring beers from the brew fest up to the Crystal Ballroom to watch the show.

In the spirit of the event, Al’s Den (at Crystal Hotel) features its own psychedelic stylings all weekend from 7-10 p.m. by two of Portland’s homegrown artists: World’s Finest on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5-6 and Quick and Easy Boys on Sunday, Feb. 7.

WHEN:
February 5-7, 2016
Friday: Doors at 6 p.m., Music at 7 p.m.
Saturday: Doors and Brew Fest at 5 p.m., Music at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday: Doors and Brew Fest at 5 p.m., Music at 6:30 p.m.

COST:
3-day pass: $85 advance, $90 day of show
VIP Viewing Area* (21 and Over) - $140 advance, $145 day of show
Individual day passes: $30 advance, $35 day of show
VIP Viewing Area* (21 and Over) - $50 advance, $55 day of show

About Crystal Ballroom
McMenamins Crystal Ballroom is a historic dance hall that has been a part of downtown Portland, Ore. for 102 years. The hall has seen countless first loves unfold, police raids, visits by silent screen idols and Beat poets, psychedelic light shows, narrow escapes from fire, demolition, and neglect, and a listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Today the music palace hosts everything from rock ’n’ roll and country, to hip-hop and big band swing and is well-known for its original floating dance floor.

About McMenamins
McMenamins operates 54 distinctive pubs, restaurants and historic hotels in the Pacific Northwest. Founded by brothers Mike and Brian McMenamin with a single Portland neighborhood pub in 1983, McMenamins today includes eight Washington locations and 45 Oregon properties, 18 on the National Register of Historic Places. McMenamins handcrafts its own beer, wine, spirits, cider and coffee and offers an eclectic mix of pubs, hotels, movie theaters, concert venues, spas and events for guests to enjoy.